Concrete is an ubiquitous construction material comprising aggregates, cement and optional further components. Although concrete has a high compressive strength, it typically has lower tensile and flexural strengths. In order to improve the tensile and flexural strengths, reinforcements such as bars and fibres may be added.
Polyester fibres have many beneficial properties which render them an attractive candidate for concrete reinforcements. They are strong, resistant to stretching and shrinking, chemically resistant, resilient when wet and dry, mildew resistant and abrasion resistant.
Fibre reinforced cement compositions comprising an inorganic cementitious matrix having fibres, such as polyester fibres, embedded therein are known.
Polyester fibres can exhibit poor dispersion in concrete, producing non-homogenous reinforced concrete compositions. Furthermore, the polyester fibres can show poor bonding with the other components of the concrete, resulting in a less than desirable flexural strength.